Scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking technology that enables low-cost, efficient communication across large networks of devices. This innovation could significantly improve industrial monitoring, smart city infrastructure and agricultural sensor networks.
Researchers at Princeton University, Rice University and Brown University have announced a remarkable technological breakthrough that could transform communication among industrial machines and beyond, by unveiling a low-power, cost-effective backscatter tag system that operates in the sub-terahertz frequency range.
This innovative technology, detailed in a paper published in the journal Nature Communications, allows for the efficient sharing of information among a vast number of devices without relying on power-intensive signal transmitters.
By utilizing high-frequency backscattering, the new system supports real-time monitoring in industrial settings, smart city infrastructure and agriculture, marking a significant leap in wireless communication capabilities.
“I believe this technology will find applications in many interesting settings,” principal investigator Yasaman Ghasempour, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Princeton, said in a news release. “Despite the conventional wisdom, this paper shows that it is possible to have low-power, scalable communication in the sub-terahertz range.”
Revolutionizing Communications
The technology is an advanced version of a wireless device known as a tag. This new tag employs backscattering, a process where a central reader sends a signal to a sensor tag, which then reflects this signal back to the reader.
While backscattering exists in low-frequency systems like smart payment and building entry cards, this is the first time it has been proven feasible at sub-terahertz frequencies.
Higher frequencies mean the system can support high-speed data transmission, which is crucial for dense networks of devices. This development promises to save significant power and infrastructure costs compared to traditional wireless systems.
Engineering Breakthroughs
The team faced notable challenges with high-frequency signals, which are prone to fading and require precise directional transmission. Traditional backscatter tags use simple antennas that broadcast energy in all directions, resulting in inefficiencies.
In contrast, this new system uses advanced antennas that automatically adjust signal direction based on frequency changes.
“The reader has to form a narrow pencil-shaped beam to shine into the tag’s precise location, and the low-power tag should do the same without consuming any power. That’s the real challenge,” Ghasempour added.
Wide-Ranging Applications
These advancements could immediately impact industrial applications, such as monitoring manufacturing robots’ conditions or detecting gas leaks in refineries. Looking forward, the technology could play a vital role in large-scale deployments like smart cities and agricultural networks.
In smart cities, the tags could be placed on traffic signs, detectable by self-driving cars under adverse weather conditions. In agriculture, expansive networks of soil sensors could monitor real-time data on moisture levels or temperature.
Ghasempour hopes the paper will inspire further engineering improvements for various advanced applications. By finding ways to amplify signals at low costs, the technology could power sensor networks across urban environments to monitor air quality or traffic flow.
This breakthrough opens up new avenues for low-power, large-scale data communication, marking a pivotal step toward more efficient and scalable wireless systems.